Moldova opens accession negotiations for External Relations Cluster

The Republic of Moldova is opening European Union accession negotiations for Cluster 6 External Relations, marking a new step in its European integration process. The announcement was made by acting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popșoi, who underlined that this event represents an important stage in the country’s European path.

“Today we are opening accession negotiations for Cluster 6 ‘External Relations’, a new important step on our European road,” said Mihai Popșoi.

The head of Moldovan diplomacy noted that the European Union recently announced a new assistance package worth 120 million euros, granted through the European Peace Facility (EPF), aimed at strengthening the security and defence capabilities of the Republic of Moldova.

“At the same time, the European Union has announced support of 120 million euros to strengthen the security and defence capacities of our country,” the minister said.

According to Popșoi, the two decisions demonstrate the European Union’s steady support for the Republic of Moldova.

“We continue working so that the Republic of Moldova becomes part of the great European family,” the Deputy Prime Minister conveyed.

Mihai Popșoi is currently on a working visit to Brussels, where he is taking part in the Republic of Moldova – European Union Intergovernmental Conference on the opening of negotiations for Cluster 6 “External Relations”.

The decision to open the cluster was also welcomed by the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Marta Kos. 

In a post on social media, the European official described the day as a Super Tuesday for the EU enlargement policy, noting that, for the first time in over two decades, four accession conferences are being held on the same day.

According to Marta Kos, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, considered among the frontrunners in the enlargement process, are opening Cluster 6, which includes areas such as defence and security, where the arguments for the accession of the two countries to the EU are particularly strong.

The delegation of the Republic of Moldova to the conference is led by the interim Prime Minister, Eugeniu Osmochescu.

The meeting will begin at 18:00 (Republic of Moldova time). At the end of the Intergovernmental Conference, starting at 19:00, a joint press conference will be held by the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Marta Kos, the Irish Minister for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne, and the interim Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Eugeniu Osmochescu.

Cluster 6 includes two negotiation chapters – Chapter 30 “External Relations” and Chapter 31 “Common Foreign, Security and Defence Policy”. These areas concern the integration of the Republic of Moldova into the EU’s common commercial policy, as well as the gradual alignment with the European Union’s foreign and security policy.